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A. MCKINNON.

TRUCK.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 1s, |914.

Patented Aug. 22, l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. panying drawings",

ALLAN McKinnon,

or noLYoKn, MASSACHUSETTS.

rauen.

Lisanne.

-Specification of Letters Patent.

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vri Application led January 16, 1914. Serial No. 812,554. [i Ll U l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALLAN MGKINNON, citizen of the United States, residing at Holyoke, in the county oi Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful y Improvements in Trucks, of which the following is a specilication'.

This invention relates to4 an improved hand truck of that type wherein a platform is vertically adjustable with respect to the bed or body oi' the truck.

lt is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved truck having means associated therewith' whereby a vertically adjustable platform may be raised or lowered by'rotation of the draft tongue employed in connection therewith; the said platform, aswell as the operating mechanism therefor, being so arranged as to provide for the retention of the former in the desired adjusted position immovable except through actuation of said tongue. y

The invention further resides in the provision of a truck which may be moved with facility and comparative ease in various directions; the truck being particularly adapted for transporting heavy articles,v beneath which it is lirst arranged, the platform being then elevated to entirely supported by the truck.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferredembodiment in the accomdescribed in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

ln describing my invention in detail reference will be had tothe accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which :M

:position of the draft gitudinal sectional Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa hand truck constructed in accordance with the present invention, the dotted lines indicating the tongue when not in use; Fig. 2 isa top plan view; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevation, thef'platform being sh'. wn in raised or elevated position; Fig. 5 is a lonvie-w; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 f Fig. 4l; and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to raise the article until the drawings by numeral, 1 designates as an entirety the body or bed ofthe truck, the forward endl of which extends upwardly -at an angle, the upstanding portion being designated 2. A head or enlargement 3 is carried by the upstanding portion 2, the said enlargement having a vertical bore 4, which bore, by'

means of a slot 5 is open to the front of thev truck. Beneath the enlargement 3, and forming a support for the forward end of the body'l, I provide a suitable casting 6 within the extensions 7 of which spindles 8 are secured, the said `spindles providing for the desired mounting of wheels 8 necessary to the proper support of the truck. A depending integrally formed lip 9 isprovided, the said lip having a vertical slot 10 formed centrally therein, which slot together with a longitudinal slot 11 of the casting forms a continuous passageway together with the vertical slot 5 open to the vertical bore l of the enlargement. A slotted spindle 12 is formed integrally with the casting 6, the said spindle being disposed within the bore 4 of the enlargement 3 where it is removably retained through the medium of a nut 1-3 threaded thereupon, said nut being in engagement withuthe top face of the enlargement 3. rlhe nut 13 is slotted to correspond with the slots in the spindle and the enlargement. An annular lshoulder 14 is formed at the base of the spindle 12 against which the under fa( of the enlargement 3 abuts. By the above arrangement, it is apparent that the wheels 8 of the truck, as well as the casting 6 providing a support therefor, may be swung at various angles to facilitate or render movement of the truck in various directions comparatively easy.

The opposite end of the upon whichV the opstanding portion 2 is formed is enlarged as at 15 to provide for the mounting of an axle 16 over the extremities of which the rear wheels 17 of the truckare arranged.

Extending longitudinally of ,the bed or body.` 1, preferably Within ran elongated opening 18 formed therein, I provide an operating screw 19 one'extremity of which is journaled within a casting 2O secured to the body 1 and extending transversely ,of the opening 18, and the opposite end within 'a second casting 9.1 likewise fixedly vsecured to the said body to extend transversely of or across the said opening. '.lhe rear end of the screw 19 is enlargedas :at 2 2, Whth enlargement is adapted `for engagement with body l from that.

eoy

I the'castiir'g,F 20 to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw in one direction, while the l' opposite end of the said screw has formed thereupon a joint section. 23, adapted for en gagement with the casting 21 to prevent viongitudinal movement' of the said screw in the opposite direction. To the 'jointsection 1 23, the .draft tongue' 24: of the device is uni versally connected as at 25, said tongue norl0.

mally operatngwithin the slot' 1l of the castuig 6.

l- An interiorly' threaded screw -block 26 y'n'aounted upon the operating screw 19, said 'block having pivoted thereto as at 2`-one Vupon each side'thereof suitable 4links or levers 28, the opposite extremities of which i are arranged over a shaft 29 journal'ed Within bearings 30 formed upon the vertically yadjustable platform 31, .the said bearings-being preferably' disposed at a point I adjacent the rear end thereof. Links 32 are arranged at .one end over the shaft 29.an`d at their opposite end overa shaft 33, the

,latter shaft extending parallel with the axle .'16 of the truck and at a point in close prole imity thereto. The shafts 35 and 36 carried i respectively by the platform 31. and Ibody Il fat and connected by links 3ft, serve as a support for the forward end ofthe said. platform.

The links v32 'and 3e being of the-same length, the said platformis at all times supported in parallel V relation with the said body 1.

When it is desired'that the' truck platform` be 'raised from-the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illustrated in 'Fig'. 4,. the draft tongue 24 is rotated 'to impart a like .movement to the operating screw it),

' 1 and as the said screw is locked against longitudinal movement, it is'apparent that Ithe A screw block 26 is Yoperated thereupon. I'lhe lsaid fscrevv.4 blockbeing connected .to "the 'jplatforin'31y through .the medium of the links 28, it is further apparent' that airaisi ing ofjthe said platform may heelfected by a continued rotation of the said tongue.

'When raised, the platform, erin-fact the entire truck,may. be locked against moveedges of the'. body opening 1S may .be diev posed to fit within longitudinal grooves 3? of the block 26, this arrangement serving as .an additional support whereby the said block is lolgedegainst moiultt utherthan longitudinal during a 'raising or lowering operation of the platform 3l.

lIn 4reduction to 'practice, l have found that the form of' my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the niost efficient and practical; yet realiz- .ing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption. of my device' will necessarily vary,

,l desire `to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction., proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of' theadvantagesof my 1nven tion, as defined in the appended clainis.

-l-laving thus fully described my invention, Y

what claiui as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent, is:-

LA wheel supported. truck. having forwiidste'ering wheels turnable about a vertical axis and a vertically movable platform,

a'central"longitudinal screwrod, means engaging"thefthreadsof the rod and operable when the rod is rotated for moving the plat` form, adraft tongue, and a universal coupling` located in alineinent with the turnable -axis of the steering `wheels -and connecting the tongue with the rod.

ln combination, in a vehicle, an ladgustable platform, draft tongue rotatable about its longitudinal axis to adjust said platform, and means on the vehicle and engageable with lthe tongue when moved into a vertical position to lock thc tongue against turning mwenientv and the platform 4in 4its adjusted position'ff 3.1i). combination, in a vehicle, a verti cally adjustable platform, a draft tongue;

turnable to adjust the platform, and lockl means operable through turning movement of the 'front wheels of the vehicle to lock the tongue against turning movement andthe platform in its adjusted position.

zontal but universally movable draft ton gue, aconnection between the tongue and the platform, said tongue'being rotatable'about itslongitudinal axis to adjust said platform, and means on the vehicle to engage the tongue-when moved into a vertical position '4. ln combination, in a vehicle, a .vertifY cally adyustable platform, ya normally horiics llil

to lock itjagainst turning movement and the platform in its adjusted position.

` 5. in a, vehicle, a" vehicle body, a platform movable vertically relatively to sa'idbody, a casting pivoted to the said body, said casting forming a Support for the front wheels ofthe vehicle, a draft tongue, means aotuatfv l able through aturning of the said tongue toV 'move said platformrelatively to the body,

said draft tongue being movable into various positions relatively to the casting, a turning of the casting relatively to the'body when Serving as a means 'whereby the said tongue 'the sail tongue is in an upright position isl lockedA in such upright position and ,against rotation, as and for the purpose set ,forth 6.1111 a vehicle, an adjustable platform, a

4 draft tongue rotatable about its longitudinal axis to adjust said platform, and a means to engage Withthe tongue when raised to a vertical position to lock said tongue against turning movement and in such vertical position.

7. In a vehicle, an adjustable platform, a draft tongue turnable to adjust said platform,a casting turnable relativel to the vehicle and forming a partthereo said casting having-a vertical slot formed therein, a

fixed member supporting said vcasting land provided with a slot for registry with vthe t' 

